Star Wars: Force Ghosts, Explained

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• The Canonical History Of Force Ghosts

• What Can Force Ghosts Do?

• Who Cannot Become A Force Ghost?

The Star Wars franchise has always veered the line between science fiction and fantasy. Ever since the original movie was released in 1977, one of the more nebulous, fantastical elements of the franchise is the appearance of force ghosts.

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In simple terms, force ghosts are a means for force-powered characters to return from the dead and aid the heroes. But the Star Wars franchise has not always made it clear how or why force ghosts work the way they do. In some instances, the ability needs to be learned; in others, it appears any force character can return as a force ghost.

The Canonical History Of Force Ghosts

Not every Jedi can become a force ghost after death. Special training is required, and only specific individuals were capable of it. Plus, it was only accessible by those who followed the light side of the Force. Meaning that any Sith, or Dark Force users would not be able to return after death in such a way.

During the Clone Wars, Yoda ventured to a hidden planet known as The Wellspring of Life. A planet so powerful with the light side of the Force that many believed it to be the origins of life itself, as well as the birthplace of the infamous microscopic organisms known as midi-chlorians.

There, he learned that he was not the first to visit the planet, for Qui-Gon Jinn had visited it prior to his death.

While there, Yoda encountered five beings known as The Force Priestesses. They were physical manifestations of the Living Force and the Cosmic Force.

Talking about The Force Priestesses, creator of The Clone Wars TV Series, Dave Filoni has said, "It’s one ancient being separated over a time that for our perception to be able to see her, she is these many different iconic things presented to us. But she died a long, long, long time ago, she is conscious in the Force, and she has a limited ability to manifest."

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It is presumed that both Qui-Gon Jinn and Yoda learned from The Force Priestesses the means of returning after death in the form of a force ghost, but these events have not been shown or explained in full detail.

It is also said that Qui-Gon Jinn learned the ability from a Shaman of the Whills. This individual was featured in a deleted scene from Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith, in which Qui-Gon regaled his knowledge to Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Due to the deleted nature of this scene, it is unclear how canonical this event is. What is known, however, is that only those who displayed absolute selflessness could retain consciousness after death.

Qui-Gon Jinn died prior to completing his training. Due to this, for a long time he was only able to contact Yoda via a disembodied voice, and within dreams and visions.

He was later able to complete his training after death, and eventually appeared as a full-force spirit to Obi-Wan Kenobi at the end of the Disney+ miniseries, Obi-Wan Kenobi. He then passed this knowledge and ability onto Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, and Anakin Skywalker at a later point.

What Can Force Ghosts Do?

Force ghosts were not just able to visually manifest themselves anywhere in the galaxy. They were also capable of interacting with living beings, physically, and they could manipulate the Force.

For example, in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Yoda was able to manipulate the weather, as well as physically touch Luke Skywalker. And in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi could touch the environment, avoiding branches and sitting on trees.

Luke Skywalker also learned this ability. Upon his death at the end of The Last Jedi, he was later able to grab Anakin Skywalker’s lightsaber when an enraged Rey threw it at the debris of a fallen ship. He was then also able to use the force to lift his X-Wing out of the water, allowing Rey to use it – presumably once it dried down.

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Once one with the force, the physical body of a Jedi would vanish from existence. Saving the need for a funeral. Due to his death prior to completing his training, Qui-Gon Jinn’s body did not vanish, so he still required a funeral pyre.

Leia Organa-Solo was able to maintain a physical form a while after death when she manifested the appearance of Han Solo and talked to her son, Ben Solo, aka Kylo Ren. Once her son died, so did her body vanish, suggesting a link between his and her life.

When the body of a fallen Jedi vanishes, it enters the Netherworld of The Force. A place described similarly to heaven, but one that has yet to be seen or explained fully in Star Wars canon.

Who Cannot Become A Force Ghost?

Force ghosts were limited to those who followed a selfless life, the light side of the Force, of were Jedi. The Sith, and Dark Force users were unable to manifest themselves after death in such a way. And non-force users were unable to return too.

However, there are other means of retaining life after death in the Star Wars canon. Some consider them... unnatural. A Sith known as Presence was able to implant their memories within a Sith holocron. Darth Momin similarly had his consciousness bound after death to an ancient mask.

The Nightsisters, using dark force powers and magick were also able to return after death. Sometimes in zombified form, and other times as green specters. They could speak after death, haunt the living, and even possess individuals.

Darth Sidious meanwhile was able to transfer his soul into a cloned body of his, sometime before his first body was destroyed. In need of a younger, more capable body, he wanted his granddaughter Rey to strike him down, initiating a sort of ritual that would transfer his soul into her body. But she refused – for some reason.

While not every Jedi could manifest fully as force ghosts without training, they could be contacted by the living. Leia Organa-Solo taught Rey a method of contacting the fallen Jedi, hoping that they would support the young Jedi on her quest. Rey struggled to reach out to the fallen Jedi though, but eventually managed to gain contact with many of them.

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